To be fair and agree with most reviews, yes this is not the most extravagant site to visit. When…read moreresearching Columbus, I wanted to visit sites that were easy and quick, since we only stayed for one night. From pictures, it can be difficult to scale how large the gavel actually is. In my opinion, I think it could also be easy to miss if you were driving by and not actually looking for it. We decided to visit on our way out of town, which means we had our dog with us. Luckily, the gavel was as outside so it would not be so difficult to visit with a dog. We found parking nearby but were unsure of the legality of where we parked so we had to make it quick. It was definitely unique but maybe not worth planning your trip around it. I did not find any plaques explaining any history on this but overall, I was glad we had this experience.

It's free to visit and a great photo op. It's outside so if you're passing by, you can take a…read morequick pic!

Construction began on the flat domed Ohio State house in 1839, and was completed at the opening of…read morethe American Civil War. In some states upon returning from the war soldiers pushed to have rounded domes placed on top of their state houses. It was not the case in Ohio, and the original Greek revival architecture remains. The building is a showpiece and focal point at the center of the capital city. It has been restored to its original grandeur and is carefully maintained to ensure historical accuracy. The grounds are well manicured and contain a variety of historic themed statues. There is an active and thriving bee apairy located on the north side of the grounds. Beneath Capitol Square, and the statehouse there is a multilevel parking facility. Be aware that the maximum height of your vehicle may be too tall for this garage. There are warning indicators at the entrances, but pay attention to the height nonetheless. Security is of Paramount concern, as this is a working capital for the statewide officeholders, including the governor, and both houses of the general assembly, Senate and House of Representatives. It is not just a museum, or a ceremonial building. This is the actual working seat of government for the state of Ohio. it is necessary for all visitors to be screened by security prior to entrance. And an active and robust security presence is maintained by the Ohio Highway Patrol. Throughout the halls can be found portraits of governors and legislative leaders, statutory representing the history of Ohio as well as large paintings of historic events in the rotunda. Of important historic note, after his assassination, the Ohio Statehouse was a location where President Lincoln lay in state and for days tens of thousands of Ohio's paid their respects. Lincoln spoke here on occasion, and actually received official word that he had been elected president, while visiting here. A brass marker is placed at the location where he spoke to the public in the atrium between the main Statehouse building and the Senate building. The Ststehouse Atrium has not always been here, but some years earlier was an open outdoor area. As is their habit, pigeons had taken up residence at the upper regions of the building and it was necessary sometimes to run between the Statehouse and the Senate building so as not to be "christened" by pigeon waste. The area became known as "pigeon run." If you look above the door/entry entryway to the Senate building in the atrium, you will see a historic reminder of those days in the form of a taxidermy pigeon. Those days are of course, long gone, and the atrium is now home to a variety of public and private events. Many select the statehouse and grounds as a location for wedding photo shoots, and actual weddings. Schedules of House and Senate sessions, and committee sessions are available online and open to the public. In the basement of the atrium and Senate building there are a variety of historic interpretational displays. Also found there is a small café, and a gift shop.

The Ohio Capital is architecturally different from many other states. In many states the capital…read moresits high and is easy to see, but in Columbus you might accidentally drive right by. In a way I guess it is more approachable for the people. I also liked the fact there was plenty of downtown underground parking.

Jeffrey Park is huge, and includes the mansion (which Sweetie has been in, and Baby K and I walked…read morealongside,) the pool (which seems great- and crazily crowded on a hot summer day,) and more. Several parking areas, many wooded areas. At least one very nice shelter with bathrooms. And: a playground, our main goal. A great playground. Four separate playsets plus swings. Loads of things for kids to do. One area is fenced in, to corral small kids. Plenty of benches all around, plenty of shade. Only drawback is it's a bit of a walk from the nearest parking lot to the playground. Not as fun for the old guy with bad knees. But, a pleasant walk, and a destination worthy of it.

I came here for an event with Bexley's Parks and Rec Department…read more I'd heard about this place for a while from a friend who said to check it out. It's a historical home that has tons of trails at the back and other facilities for recreation. Along with housing Parks and Rec, it is also a preschool! I didn't get to see the whole of the inside but it's cool to see a historic home that is maintained very well for multipurpose use. They even do chair yoga classes in here!

Walhalla Ravine was a saving grace for me and my family all 7 years that I lived in Columbus. This…read moreis a sacred and divine place, and no ghost story or urban legend of a single person's violence can have dominion over the beauty and sanctuary of this forested gem. Every spring, this land supports new life in abundance. Every autumn the leaves put on a magnificent show. Its cool and gentle presence in the summer heat is a gift of the Earth. Winter makes a real-life snowy postcard. PSA: Please drive slow past this rare beauty in the spring and summer as there are breathtakingly sweet deer that cross with their babies. The City of Columbus won't put up a deer crossing sign until there are 5 car accidents at the Walhalla-Indianola intersection. How do I know? I asked for a sign after witnessing a near-collision between a car and a fawn. They told me no. In conclusion, this is really a slice of Fólkvangr on Earth.

As others have mentioned, Walhalla Ravine is most well known for two things: being a lovely and…read moreunique natural feature near the city and having ghost stories in its history. We decided to visit to enjoy the leaves changing in the beautiful ravine, and less so because of the ghosts, though we did joke about them when we first arrived. That may have been our mistake, because, halfway through our walk on Walhalla, after passing the Calumet Street Bridge (which plays a significant role in some of the ghost stories), we heard the loud, unmistakable sound of a large tree cracking echoing throughout the ravine. In what was probably 10 seconds, but felt like time extended into slow-mo, we identified the extremely large falling tree and barely managed to avoid being struck by it as it collapsed across the road, jumping just beyond its reach. Other walkers who had been further back but saw everything even exclaimed over how close of a call it was. The ravine itself is beautiful and has some interesting geology. There were some great sections of potato chip shale that were really neat to look at. A stream meanders down one side of the street, most of which is on private property. Many of the houses have unique architecture and some are historic, and quite a few folks have added some really fun art to the yards - we especially enjoyed a large dragon sculpture made of metal that was decorated with OSU gear, the cute painting of a mama duck and ducklings, and a fun deer sculpture made of wood. The leaves were absolutely lovely and managed to hang on despite the wind we had a few days prior. So, go enjoy a lovely walk, but don't make fun of the ghosts and avoid their retribution!

This is an impressive collection of plaques honoring important local residents, located behind the…read moreUA municipal services building. Parking nearby, in the back of the city lot. Also accessible from Tremont Rd. On one side is the lot and building, of course, but there is a nice green area with trees along the other side. A tall tower with a plaque, and low walls with many individual markers, make up the monument. The designer of Ohio Stadium is here, along with local leaders and artists, plus some people well known outside the area, like Dave Thomas and Woody Hayes. Nicely done, well cared for, and a bit of a hidden jewel for the area.

I have lived in OH for over 15 years and cannot believe I've never visited this site! Enjoyed…read morereading about how the sculpture came to be. The QR code lets you listen to a recording of the sculptor himself. The 12' sculpture can be climbed on from the rear and presents a nice view of the area. Lots of areas for picnicking and amphitheater for concerts.

Chief Leatherlips monument is a large stone faced public art piece located in a beautiful park in…read moreDublin just outside of Columbus Ohio. My family and I was in town from Lousiville visiting Columbus for my second oldest daughters cheer competition. One of the things we always do when visiting other city and towns is check out the local public art scene. This was a piece we had circled before we made our trip. Overall a very great and fun piece. Me And the kids enjoyed the cool Photo ops that we had with the piece and it was in a beautiful park as well.

In dreams again is a downtown Columbus Ohio public art sculpture that my oldest daughter and I came…read moreacross whole exploring the short north area of the city. The acuities itself is easy to miss. It kinda just looks like a random concrete pillar until you approach it closer and realize it is a piece of public art. Overall pretty simple piece but it is always fun and cool to discover public art when we visit other cities. The short north area had all kinds of cool And interesting pieces.

I've often seen this since some favorite local haunts are nearby, but it's usually locked. Today it…read morewas open and I needed to cross High, so I tried it. Glassed in entrances, and a pretty old, small tunnel below the street. Clean, brightly lit. Generally used by the school kids, but sees a bit of foot traffic throughout the day. Handy, safe, and unusual. We don't have anything else like it in town, I don't think.